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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Scooting through Pai

We decided to take a short trip to the small town of Pai and it was definitely worth it. Yes, it is touristy with its 200 guest houses, bars, burgers on the menu and tourists everywhere, but there is a reason so many people go there. It is so relaxing and easy. We booked a bungalow just outside the "city" and went for a short dip in the pool. It was a scorching day. We were alone and surrounded by beautiful countryside so it's no wonder we stayed in there for over an hour.

Then we rented a scooter and checked out a waterfall and a Chinese village. We stopped to watch a group of men play Sepak Takhraw, a Thai sport. It is similar to volleyball, but the net is lower, the ball is smaller and made out of woven wood and instead of playing with their hands and arms, they play with their feet and heads! From our novice point of view, they were really good!

In the evening, we treated ourselves to a Thai massage. This sounds like a relaxing way to end the day, but for those of you not familiar with Thai massages, they hurt. Thomas laughs when he is in pain and he was laughing the whole time. They push, pull, twist and pretty beat you up, but you feel good afterwards.

The next morning we got up early to continue our scooter tour. We climbed a few hundred stairs to reach a temple on the hill. As we reached the top, we saw a road that led all the way to the top. Oh well, we can use the exercise. Then we went for a hike in our flip flops in Pai Canyon. It was definitely time for a fruit shake. After a quick break, we tried to make it to another waterfall. Unfortunately, this one required riding on a muddy path. We somehow managed to stay on the scooter, but after a couple of close calls, we decided to turn back. After a few more loops around the town, it was time to head back to Chiang Mai to pick up our Chinese visas.